The present invention relates to a sliding assisting apparatus for assisting an operation of a movable body such as a drawer or cover body to slide on a main body and switch between a drawn-in position and a drawn-out position.
In a structure in which a movable body is switched to slide between a drawn-in position and a drawn-out position on a main body, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is tiresome and lacks a feeling of high quality as all of the switching operations are performed by a hand. Accordingly, it is dealt with in a manner such that the movable body is forced in either direction of the drawn-out position or the drawn-in position and is slid automatically toward the forced direction.
FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b) show a drawer apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1; wherein FIG. 14(a) is a state drawing of the drawn-in position of the movable body not illustrated, and FIG. 14(b) is the drawn-out position. Symbol 50 is a side wall of a main body, symbol 55 is a drive pin on a side of the movable body, symbol 60 is a tilting part placed between a main body side wall and the movable body, and symbol 65 is a spring member. A guide track 51 is provided on the main body side wall 50. The guide track 51 is constituted by a straight part 51a which extends horizontally in the front-to-back direction, and a bow-shaped part 51b on the front side (right side in the drawing).
The tilting part 60 has a slot 61 which is opened at the top, and a diagonal side wall 62 which extends from the front side of the slot 61. Bolts 63 are coupled in the guide track 51. The spring member 65 accumulates force in the course of sliding of the movable body from the drawn-in position to the drawn-out position, in a state in which one end is fixed on the side of the main body and the other end is fixed on the tilting part 60. Also, in this structure, the movable body is built into the side of the main body in a state in which the drive pin 55 is coupled in the slot 61.
When the movable body is slid from the drawn-in position to the drawn-out position, the tilting part 60 is moved following the straight part 51a of the guide track 51, and then it is tilted forward at the bow-shaped part 51b, and the drive pin 55 moves from the slot 61 to the diagonal side wall 62. By this, the movable body is checked or locked in the drawn-out position in opposition to the force of the spring member 65, and also by being pushed backward it is drawn in by the force accumulated in the spring member 65 after the drive pin 55 is returned from the diagonal wall part 62 to the slot 61.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Publication Patent (Kokoku) No. 05-023763
In the above-mentioned conventional structure, for example, although the movable body is slid automatically almost entirely from the drawn-out position to the drawn-in position, a strong pulling operation force by that amount becomes necessary when going from the drawn-in position to the drawn-out position, and the convenience of use becomes poor. Also, because the drive pin 55 is made to escape from the slot 61 by the forward tilting of the tilting member 60 and is coupled with the diagonal side wall 62 as a lock mechanism for locking the movable body in opposition to the force of the spring member 65, the coupling force is poor and there is a fear that the lock may be released by vibrations, and the like.
Moreover, in the conventional structure, once the movable body is removed from the main body, because it is drawn into the main body by the force of the spring member 65 in a state having the slot 61 turned upwardly as shown in FIG. 14(a) by releasing of the tilting part 60 from the drive pin 55, it is difficult to assemble the movable body again on the main body, and the drive pin 55, and the like, are easily damaged when the movable body is forcefully pushed in toward the side of the main body. Also, in the conventional structure, the operational characteristics are limited in that it does not have functions for assisting both operations in the case of sliding the movable body in the direction of the drawn-in position and when sliding it in the direction of the drawn-out position.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate problems as stated above, for example, and to improve the convenience of use and feeling of high quality of the apparatus to which it is applied by a comparatively simple structure.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.